Revive My Heart

And one shall say, “Heap it up! Heap it up! Prepare the way. Take the stumbling block out of the way of My people.” For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:14-15

The desire of every Christian heart should be to look like Jesus, to reflect the Lord of all in every aspect of the way we live our lives. Yet, the sweet and wonderful process of sanctification (Christ in us making us a new creation from within) recognizes God’s mercy and long suffering and acknowledgement that He knows we are but dust and loves us anyway. Yet the transformation that God would do in us is also dependent upon our willingness to submit ourselves to the Lord and to be obedient to the Holy Spirit as He prepares, reveals and directs the transformation cycle within us.

Because I am one of those people who prays for revival, I am especially sensitive to my pastor's exhortation to go beyond simply praying for revival and to begin to pray that the Lord changes hearts, beginning with my own. Sometimes those of us who have walked long with the Lord forget our terribly susceptible flesh nature and rest on self imagined laurels or knowledge that actually hinders the work the Lord would do in us. We forget that every good gift we have comes from the Father of Light and that without Him, we are capable of no good thing. Sometimes the young in the Lord wonder if they will ever get it right or if God really hears each prayer.

Praise God that while we are called to be fishers of men, it is totally the Holy Spirit’s job to be the cleaner of those caught in the nets of God’s word becoming living and active in the hearts of man. Praise God that salvation is a free gift through grace alone by faith alone in Christ alone. It was God’s ultimate plan that Christ would pay the full price and bear the full burden of our sin on Calvary.

Lord, help us to have ears that strain to hear you, hearts that hunger for more of you, and minds (determination centers) willing to sacrifice every idol of this imperfect and corrupt world that would hinder us from serving you totally. Help us, Lord, to cultivate humble and contrite spirits so that you might teach us your ways, Lord, and direct our paths. Mold us into new creations that reflect your salt and light to a hungry and dying world. Amen.